When a country faces constant drone and missile attacks, technology becomes a key part of defense. In Ukraine’s case, help has come from an unexpected figure — Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google. He is now involved in providing advanced drone support to Ukraine through his company Swift Beat, which has already shown strong results in intercepting incoming threats.
This development comes at a time when other large tech companies, such as SpaceX and Maxar, have faced criticism for becoming unreliable partners during critical moments. In contrast, Schmidt’s approach has stood out, with direct technology support and an active partnership.
Eric Schmidt Joins Forces with Ukraine
Earlier this month, Eric Schmidt met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Denmark. During their meeting, a deal was signed to begin joint production of AI-powered interceptor drones. These drones are designed to take down other drones in the sky and help strengthen air defense.
Schmidt’s company, Swift Beat, has already provided Ukraine with three types of interceptor drones. According to a report by Ukrainian-language news outlet Ekonomichna Pravda (EP), these drones have been very successful. Officials said that the drones have managed to take down up to 90% of Russian drones they have come across.
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A source told EP that the drones are “extremely accurate in identifying Russian drones in the night sky.” This makes them especially useful during night attacks, when visibility is low and quick action is needed.
Advanced Technology Resists Electronic Warfare
In recent months, Russia has increased its attacks on Ukraine using drones and missiles on a near-daily basis. Many of these attacks involve Shahed drones of Iranian origin. These drones are often used to target key infrastructure and cities.
The three types of Swift Beat interceptor drones that are now in use in Ukraine have shown strong results. According to the report, they have been able to take down about 90% of these drones during operations.
What makes these drones especially effective is their advanced AI targeting system. They are built to detect and respond to enemy drones quickly and with high accuracy. In addition, the report said that they are equipped with a secure communication system. This system has proven to be resistant to Russian electronic warfare, which has often been a problem with other types of military technology.
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Because of these features, the drones have become a valuable part of Ukraine’s air defense strategy.
A Different Kind of Tech Partnership
The partnership between Schmidt’s Swift Beat and Ukraine is being seen as a win-win situation. Ukraine has received advanced drones with high precision. At the same time, Swift Beat has had a chance to test and improve its technology in real-world conditions.
This is very different from Ukraine’s past experiences with other tech providers. For example, in 2022, Elon Musk ordered the shutdown of Starlink in the Kherson region. This happened during a major Ukrainian counter-offensive and affected communications on the ground.
In another case, Maxar, a company that provides satellite images, stopped sharing them with Ukraine earlier this year. This came after former U.S. President Donald Trump suspended military and intelligence assistance to Ukraine. Without access to Maxar’s satellite imagery, Ukraine lost a key source of battlefield data.
These examples show how Ukraine’s dependence on certain Western tech firms created serious challenges. In contrast, the deal with Swift Beat has offered both operational support and more control for Ukraine, without putting the country in a position of reliance.